44, High Street

SS 51 47 853-1/6/10001

ILFRACOMBE HIGH STREET No. 44

II

Former gas company offices. 1934-5; by Allen T. Hussell, for the Ilfracombe Gas Company. Red brick with Portland stone dressings. PLAN: Corner site with entrance foyer and showrooms at the High Street front, and a range of offices behind facing Northfield Road. Neo-Georgian and Moderne styles. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys. Neo-Georgian font block with recessed corners, and 1-bay front and right-hand return elevations; tall ground floor of stone with large windows and corner doorway with moulded architrave and cartouche and arms above with inscription; tall first floor windows in moulded architraves with cornices, and stone cornice on consoles; stringcourses, recessed corners, and stone cornice and blocking course above; metal window frames. At rear facing Northfield Road, a lower 2-storey and basement range in the Moderne style, recessed first floor, the end bays projecting with corner windows, and rounded corner on left. Small windows to left and right with balconnettes. INTERIOR: Showroom/foyer has moulded circular ceiling with glazed light fittings, and corridor with stepped moulded architraves, leading to polished stone staircase with solid balustrade; boardroom on first floor with banded rustication, corner piers and lit from ceiling lantern; ground floor office with polished stone chimneypiece; back staircase with iron balustrade.

Listing NGR: SS5167947564